A Dialectical Approach to Moral Judgment and Self-Esteem

Abstract

Dialectical models emphasize continuing development as the result of the contradiction and synthesis of opposing aspects of reality. The subject-object interaction of the dialectical model elucidates the interdependence of moral judgments and self-esteem. In a mature, dialectical morality of mediation the individual recognizes his participation in his judgments and attempts to construct resolutions of moral conflicts through compromise. Moral development within the individual must be conceptualized within a cultural and historical context, and the reciprocal significance of individual moral development for changes in the family and the society should be recognized. A complete model of moral development ought to consider prosocial as well as antisocial behaviors.